A/HRC/40/CRP.1 but production was capped at 10,000 barrels a day because of the lower quality of the oil which needed to be mixed with a lighter blend to allow transportation through the Sudanese pipeline.997 As noted, almost all of the oil recovered currently in South Sudan originates from the oil fields in Blocks 3 and 7 in Upper Nile State, with a small portion of production coming from the recently reactivated oil fields 1, 2 and 4 in the new Ruweng State (part of former Unity State).998 While it was announced that production in another part of former Unity State, Block 5A (Thar Jath and Mala) was to be reactivated by the end of 2018, this has apparently not yet been achieved.999 Apart from the oil blocks in Unity and Upper Nile States, South Sudan’s largest Block B (over 100,000 square kilometres) which is located largely in what used to be Jonglei State, remains virtually unexplored, with the French company Total previously holding the only concession;1000 the South Sudanese Government is currently seeking new explorers and has already awarded one contract to the Pan African company Oranto Petroleum.1001 Figure 5: Oil concession blocks and some of the main oil fields in South Sudan d) Oil as a trigger for continued conflict and human rights violations In the more recent years of armed conflict in South Sudan, the economic and strategic importance of the oil producing areas in Unity and Upper Nile States has been a major driver 997 Confidential Meeting, 14 December 2018. Presentation by South Sudanese Minister of Petroleum at the Oil & Power Conference, November 2018, retrieved at https://africaoilandpower.com/2018/11/26/south-sudan-oil-power-2018-presentations/; Nilepet Magazine (Issue No. 001, November 2018) notes that “[…] pervasive destructive attacks by negative forces loyal to different rebel factions (before the signing of peace agreement) … led to temporary shutdown of some oil blocks (5A, 1, 2 & 4).” 999 Sudan Tribune, “Production of South Sudan’s Thar Jath oil delayed for six months”, 24 November 2018. 1000 James, Laura M., “Fields of Control: Oil and (In)security in Sudan and South Sudan”, Small Arms Survey, Human Security Baseline Assessment for South Sudan and Sudan, Working Paper 40, 2015, p. 20. 1001 Presentation by South Sudanese Minister of Petroleum at the Oil & Power Conference, November 2018, retrieved at https://africaoilandpower.com/2018/11/26/south-sudan-oil-power-2018-presentations/. 998 129